Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

So, I bought a blue boy 4003 awhile back from mike parks. This was the 3rd Rickenbacker that I have owned, and what a great playing bass it was. I played it for awhile after the long 48 hour wait to let it get back up to temperature, and I remembered the little things that I can't get used to when playing one. The binding started to hurt my forearm of my picking hand, the neck started to get sticky due to the finished neck, and the neck just didn't seem "right" in my hands. Back in the case it went and I may have played a dozen times more after that. I ran into a little bit of financial trouble and this was the first bass to go. It has only been gone a few hours, and I'm already looking at rics again. I don't know what it is about these basses. I can't seem to get used to them, but when I don't have one I can't stop thinking about getting another one. Is anyone else in the same boat as me for the 4003's? I want to try a 4004 or an S series, but finding one around here is near impossible.

get a 4001, and a 4003, and a 4001v63, and a 4003s5, and a 4004s8, and a 4004ci, and a 4004cii, and a 4004L, and a 4003s, then maybe start adding tuxeudo, redneck, blackstar, shadow, and don't forget to get a 2030 and a 3001, and a 4005 ... oh ya how about a 4000 and a c64 ... maybe it is time to take out a second mortgage ...

personally I am trying to hold at 7 rics but I want a 230, 630, and a white 4003bt and a silver 4003bt ...

What your feeling is not uncommon,you would have to have hands the size of King Cong's to get used to that neck,but we keep trying.


Rickenbacker! bring down the neck profile and make these things more playable.


I had to have the neck of my 2001v63 shaved down a great deal just to make it tolerable and its still too thick....and I have big hands.

I sold two 4004cii because of this although I loved everything else about them.

Just keep playing them, you get used to the neck and binding and it becomes second nature after a while and I believe the newer more-mass neck adds more body to the sound along with the great new pickups. I like the new necks.

I would look for an older 4001 or 4003. My '73 has a very slim neck, as does my '86 Shadow. All my other Rics (including a CS, s5, s8, and a 4004) have pretty beefy necks.

My hands are not all that large and I have no problem with my 4004...and I switch between that and my fretless J Bass and just don't seem to see why some folks have an issue regarding necks.

Guess I'm just not that particular. Or it may have a lot to do with playing a lot of guitar.

The binding on my 4001 does bruise my wrist, however. I try to remember to put a wristband on if I play it. "Try" is the important word in that last sentence...

I personally love the thicker necks. I do know that I'm in the minority here. I do have long fingers though. I can't imagine playing a much thinner neck. I think my fingers would trip over themselves. Same reason I have difficulties playing guitar I guess.

I have a V63 with a nice slim neck, and a 4003 with a thicker neck too. The thickness of the 4003 has never bothered me at all. And I have somewhat smaller sized hands to boot. In fact, like Bob, I like the new necks too. They seem to be stronger and more durable. The only bass neck I didn't like was the 70's P Basses. Those were really like playing the barrel of a baseball bat.

I don't mind the necks. Even though I've got a razor thin neck on my 68, the CS and my 4003's are quite comfy to me.

But, then again, I like Pbass C necks...

I have no problem with the neck on my '97 4003.
My favorite neck profile, actually, is the 50's era Precision bass Louisville SLugger bats. My '02 54RI Blue Flower Precision has a huge neck and I have small hands.

Eventually you will get used to it.

Its not the size of the neck, just the shape of it. I actually play mostly fives. I dont know what it is about it, I love how they sound and play, but after awhile my arms get fatigued on both ends. Im thinking of trying out a 4004, when I get some money back in the bank that is.

I only play 5 string basses ... and I convert 4 string basses to 5 string basses ... so from my perspective the Ric neck is quite slim ... and I don't see much difference between the 4001 and 4003 necks ...

Jeff wrote:

... I want a 230, 630, ...

Ummm.... what's a "630", Jeff? Either that's ten more than a 620, or 30 less than a 660 ... I'm confused!!! (or maybe you have an inside track on new RIC models ...)

At least I'm not the only one who has ergonmonic problems with Ric 4003s.

The neck is fine, but I find the two 4003s I have to be a bit on the heavy side and the non-contoured body is a killer.

I'm still deciding whether to ditch my 4003s and look for a 4001s.

620 the on with hb1 pickups and oil finish and the chrome trim ... I never can keep of of those guitar models straight ... plus none of them have a low B ... maybe I should do a 6-2-7 conversion ...